The 1997 South Carolina Geographic Alliance Summer Geography Institute: A study of geographic perceptions, teaching strategies, and teacher professional development

The South Carolina Geographic Alliance annually hosts a Summer Geography Institute. The Institute focuses on the professional development of teachers in the areas of geography content, geography teaching strategies, and presentation style. This study used a unique combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to ascertain the influence of the Institute on middle level teachers. It extended earlier research conducted by D. B. Cole and J. Ormrod (1994) and corroborated findings from similar studies of other Institutes.;Qualitatively, six of the 1997 Institute participants were studied for an entire year---before, during, and after the Institute---to determine how the Institute affected their geographic perceptions and teaching methods. Data were collected via classroom observations, in-depth interviews, and a review of lesson plans. Quantitatively, a survey was used to compare a group of middle level Institute graduates (n = 35) to a similar group of non-Institute teachers (n = 23). Specifically, the survey sought to determine if there was a significant difference (alpha = .05) between the two groups in the level of professional development as measured by their membership in professional organizations. A chi-square analysis of a contingency table was used to make the determination.;From the qualitative analysis, the study showed that the Institute helped middle level teachers develop a more comprehensive and integrative perception of geography---viewing it not as a collection of parts but as a dynamic discipline that is holistic in nature. It also showed that the Institute introduced teachers to a broad range of innovative teaching strategies appropriate for geography and led teachers to reflect on their practice. Evidence indicated, however, that changes in teaching practice, though evident, were not as dramatic or systemic as were the changes in geographic perception.;From the quantitative analysis, it was found that the difference in the two groups was significant. Teachers who had graduated from an Alliance Summer Geography Institute belonged to a greater number of professional organizations than did teachers who had not participated in a Summer Geography Institute.